Condiment cup

ABSTRACT

A condiment cup for containing a condiment and for attachment to a storage container sidewall of a storage container has a condiment container for storing the condiment, an attachment arm for attaching the condiment container to the storage container, and a sealing lid for sealing the opening of the condiment container. The condiment container is typically filled with the condiment, such as ketchup, sealed with a sealing lip, and then distributed to a consumer. The consumer then peels off the sealing lid and hangs the condiment container on the storage container using the attachment arm.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application for a utility patent is a continuation-in-partof the following previously filed, and still pending, patentapplications: application Ser. No. 09/590,607, filed Jun. 9, 2000;application Ser. No. 29/124,653, filed Jun. 9, 2000; application Ser.No. 29/139,331, filed Mar. 27, 2001; and application Ser. No.29/142,468, filed May. 25, 2001. This application for a utility patentclaims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/138,704, filedJun.11, 1999.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

[0002] Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] 1. Field of the Invention

[0004] This invention relates generally to condiment cups, and moreparticularly to a condiment cup having a sealed lid.

[0005] 2. Description of Related Art

[0006] There is a need in the marketplace for a secondary container thatcan be readily attached to a storage container. An example of a marketfor such a product is in the fast food industry. In the sale of fastfood, it is desirable to be able to dispense condiments such as ketchupin a condiment cup that can be readily carried with their associatedfoods, such as french-fries.

[0007] It is highly desirable that the condiment cup be securelyattachable to the storage container so as to prevent spillage; and it isalso desirable that the containers be inexpensive to manufacture, store,ship, and use. To meet this goal, the container must have an attachmentarm or arms for attaching the condiment cup to the storage container. Itis highly desirable that the condiment cup be constructed so that theattachment arm securely locks onto the storage container.

[0008] Garrett, U.S. Pat. No. 2,597,468, teaches a supplementarycontainer for holding cream on the rim of a coffee cup. Thesupplementary container includes a hook-shaped member for mounting thecontainer on the coffee cup, and a positioning rib that is positionedbeneath the hook-shaped member for clamping the coffee cup.

[0009] Waterston et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,975, teaches a recyclablematerials caddy that can be attached to a waste receptacle. The caddy isconstructed of a linear blank of corrugated plastic and includes a metalhangar member that allows the caddy to be mounted on the rim of awastebasket.

[0010] The prior art teaches various supplementary containers that canbe mounted upon another container or cup. However, the prior art doesnot teach a container that includes the features described below. Thepresent invention fulfills these needs and provides further relatedadvantages as described in the following summary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The present invention teaches certain benefits in constructionand use which give rise to the objectives described below.

[0012] The present invention provides a condiment cup for containing acondiment and for attachment to a storage container sidewall of astorage container. The condiment cup includes a condiment container forstoring the condiment, an attachment arm for attaching the condimentcontainer to the storage container, and a sealing lid for sealing theopening of the condiment container. The condiment container is typicallyfilled with the condiment, such as ketchup, sealed with a sealing lip,and then distributed to a consumer. The consumer then peels off thesealing lid and hangs the condiment container on the storage containerusing the attachment arm.

[0013] A primary objective of the present invention is to provide acondiment cup having advantages not taught by the prior art.

[0014] Another objective is to provide a condiment cup that is adaptedto be filled with a condiment, sealed with a sealing lid, distributed toa consumer, and then unsealed and hung on a storage container by anattachment arm, thereby facilitating consumption of the condiment by theconsumer.

[0015] A further objective is to distribute the condiment to consumersin an condiment cup that is economical to produce and easy to use.

[0016] Other features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following more detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way ofexample, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. Insuch drawings:

[0018]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0019]FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;

[0020]FIG. 3 is a rear side elevational view thereof;

[0021]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view thereof;

[0022]FIG. 5 is a top plan view thereof;

[0023]FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view thereof;

[0024]FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating how a sealing lid ispeeled off of a condiment container;

[0025]FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating how the condimentcontainer is attached to a storage container with an attachment arm;

[0026]FIG. 9 is a is a sectional view thereof taken along line 9-9 inFIG. 8;

[0027]FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of an alternative embodimenthaving a second attachment arm adjacent a grip enhancer opposite theattachment arm;

[0028]FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment inwhich the condiment cup is mounted inside the storage container;

[0029]FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment inwhich the attachment arm includes a curved spring portion;

[0030]FIG. 13 is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment thatincludes a divider sidewall that separates the condiment container intofirst and second compartments;

[0031]FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating a locking button of theattachment arm and a plurality of locking ribs of the grip enhancer;

[0032]FIG. 15 is a sectional view thereof taken along line 15-15 in FIG.14;

[0033]FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an alternative embodimentillustrating a condiment cup having a perimeter lip in the shape of ahalf-circle;

[0034]FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an alternative embodimentillustrating a condiment cup having a perimeter lip in the shape of atriangle; and

[0035]FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an alternative embodimentillustrating a condiment cup having a perimeter lip in the shape of ahalf-trapezoid;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0036] The above described drawing figures illustrate the invention, acondiment cup 10 for containing a condiment and for attachment to astorage container sidewall 14 of a storage container 12. The condimentcup 10 includes a condiment container 20 for storing the condiment, anattachment arm 30 for attaching the condiment container 20 to thestorage container 12, and a sealing lid 40 for sealing the condimentcontainer 20. The condiment container 20 is typically filled with thecondiment, such as ketchup, sealed with a sealing lid 40, and thendistributed to patrons of fast food restaurants. The patrons then peeloff the sealing lid 40 and hang the condiment container 20 on thestorage container 12, such as a container of French fries.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 1-18, the condiment container 20 has a base 22and an upwardly extending sidewall 24 that together define a storagespace 26. The upwardly extending sidewall 24 terminates in a perimeterlip 28 that defines an opening 29 for accessing the storage space 26.The perimeter lip 28 extends outwardly for bonding the sealing lid 40onto the condiment container 20, as described below. The opening 29 isshaped and sized to enable the patron to easily access the condiment inthe condiment container 20, typically by dipping a food product such asFrench fries into the condiment such as ketchup. The condiment container20 is preferably constructed of molded plastic, although alternativeembodiments might be constructed of paperboard or similar material. Thecondiment container 20 is preferably generally rectangular in shape;however, as shown in FIGS. 16-18, the condiment container 20 can beconstructed of almost any shape, including but not limited to ahalf-circle, triangular, half-hexagonal, or any other shape, includinground or elliptical. The condiment container 20 20 can also be conicalin shape, as the base 22 does not necessarily have to be formed as aflat surface.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 1-18, the condiment cup 10 further includes anattachment arm 30 extending downwardly from the perimeter lip 28. Theattachment arm 30 preferably includes an outwardly extending portion 32,a downwardly extending portion 34, and ends at a terminal end 38. Theoutwardly extending portion 32 and the downwardly extending portion 34are at least semi-rigid to support the condiment cup 20 as described.The outwardly extending portion 32 functions to outwardly space thedownwardly extending portion 34 from the upwardly extending sidewall 24.The attachment arm 30 is preferably integrally molded with the condimentcontainer 20 and extends far enough downward to provide a secure anchorpoint for the condiment cup 10, but not so far as to interfere withshipping and handling of the condiment cup 10. The attachment arm 30preferably extends approximately half of the height of the upwardlyextending sidewall 24.

[0039] Once the condiment container 20 has been filled with thecondiment, the sealing lid 40 is attached to the condiment container 20.The sealing lid 40 has a lid perimeter 42 that is shaped and adapted tobe bonded to the perimeter lip 28 such that the sealing lid 40 seals theopening 29 of the condiment container 20. The sealing lid 40 preferablyincludes a pull tab 44 that extends outwardly from the lid perimeter 42for facilitating the peel-removal of the sealing lid 40 from thecondiment container 20. The sealing lid 40 is preferably constructed ofa thin material such as foil or plastic. The lid perimeter 42 of thesealing lid 40 is preferably bonded to the perimeter lip 28, either withan adhesive or a heat welding, although those skilled in the art maydevise other equivalent mechanisms for bonding the two surfaces, andthese alternatives should be considered within the scope of the claimedinvention.

[0040] In use, the patron of a fast food restaurant is given thecondiment cup 10 with their meal. For example, when the patron ordersFrench fries, he or she is given a condiment cup 10 that containsketchup. This of course will vary depending upon the restaurant. AMexican restaurant might serve nachos, in which case the condiment cup10 might be filled with salsa or cheese. A chicken restaurant mightserve chicken with a condiment cup 10 full of barbeque sauce. Since thecondiment cup 10 can hold a large amount of condiment 16, a singlecontainer is all that is required, rather than a large number of smallpackets of the condiment. The condiment cup 10 reduces waste of thecondiment by including the condiment in a single container, rather thandispensing large numbers of small packets

[0041] As shown in FIG. 7, when the patron is ready to consume the meal,he or she simply peels the sealing lid 40 from the condiment container20 to expose the condiment 16. The patron then can hang the condimentcontainer 20 on the storage container sidewall 14 of the storagecontainer 12, as shown in FIG. 8, and dip the food through the opening29 of the condiment container 20 and into the condiment 16. Thecondiment cup 10 provides a handy method of dispensing the condiment 16while the patron eats his or her meal.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 6-10, the condiment cup 10 preferablyincludes at least one grip enhancer 50 extending outwardly from theupwardly extending sidewall 24 adjacent the attachment arm 30. The atleast one grip enhancer 50 provides an outwardly extending sidewall 52that supports a grip surface 54. The outwardly extending sidewall 52 ispreferably integral with the upwardly extending sidewall 24 and extendsoutwardly from the upwardly extending sidewall 24 approximately the samedistance as the outwardly extending portion 32 of the attachment arm 30.For purposes of this application, when we say that the outwardlyextending sidewall 52 extends outwardly from the upwardly extendingsidewall 24 approximately the same distance as the outwardly extendingportion 32 of the attachment arm 30, this is intended to include thesituation when the outwardly extending sidewall 52 extends outwardlyfrom the upwardly extending sidewall 24 a distance that is slightly lessthan the outwardly extending portion 32 of the attachment arm 30—as longas the relationship between the outwardly extending sidewall 52 and theattachment arm 30 is functional to grip the storage container sidewall14.

[0043] The grip surface 54 is preferably an elongate surface that isgenerally parallel to the attachment arm 30. The grip surface 54 isvertically aligned with and horizontally spaced from the attachment arm30. For purposes of this application, vertically aligned means that atleast a portion of the grip surface 54 is the same distance from thebase 22 as at least a portion of the attachment arm 30; andspecifically, that a top edge 56 of the grip surface 54 is higher than aterminal end 38 of the attachment arm 30. In the preferred embodiment,the grip surface 54 is positioned between the outwardly extendingportion 32 of the attachment arm 30 and the terminal end 38. As shown inFIG. 9, the grip surface 54 is adapted to cooperate with the attachmentarm 30 to clamp the storage container sidewall 14 and thereby supportthe condiment cup 10 on the storage container sidewall 14.

[0044] In a first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the at least one gripenhancer 50 includes two grip enhancers 50, each of the two gripenhancers 50 being horizontally spaced on either side of the attachmentarm 30. The grip surface 54 of the grip enhancers 50 are adapted tocooperate with the attachment arm 30 to clamp the storage containersidewall 14 and thereby support the condiment cup 10 on the storagecontainer sidewall 14.

[0045] In a second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the condiment cup 10includes a second attachment arm 60 and a single grip enhancer 50. Thegrip enhancer 50 is positioned between the attachment arm 30 and thesecond attachment arm 60. The grip surface 54 of the grip enhancer 50 isadapted to cooperate with the attachment arm 30 and the secondattachment arm 60 to clamp the storage container sidewall 14 and therebysupport the condiment cup 10 on the storage container sidewall 14.

[0046] In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the attachmentarm 30 includes a curved spring portion 36 extending to the terminal end38 that is outturned away from the upwardly extending sidewall 24. Theattachment arm 30 is preferably constructed of a resilient material thatenables the curved spring portion 36 to bend and accommodate the storagecontainer sidewall 14 when the terminal end 38 captures the storagecontainer sidewall 14, the curved spring portion 36 then functioning tobias the attachment arm 30 against the storage container sidewall 14,thereby further enhancing the grip of the attachment arm 30 against thestorage container sidewall 14.

[0047] In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, the condimentcup 10 further includes a divider sidewall 62 that is integral with thebase 22 and the upwardly extending sidewall 24 and positioned toseparate the storage space 26 into a first compartment 64 and a secondcompartment 66. The divider sidewall 62 includes a divider lip 68 thatis adapted to be bonded to the sealing lid 40, thereby sealing thedivider sidewall 62 and separating the first compartment 64 from thesecond compartment 66. This enables the storage of both the condiment 16and a second condiment 18 within the condiment cup 10. For example, thecondiment cup 10 could be used to store ketchup and barbeque sauce,cheese and salsa, chocolate and sprinkles, or any number of combinationsof condiments.

[0048] In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, thecondiment cup 10 further includes a locking button 70 or buttonsextending from an inner surface of the attachment arm 30. The lockingbutton 70 functions to increase the strength of the connection betweenthe condiment cup 10 and the storage container sidewall 14. Theconnection can be especially strong if the storage container sidewall 14includes a dimple that matches the locking button 70.

[0049] In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 10, 14, and 15,the condiment cup 10 further includes a plurality of locking ribs 74extending from the grip surface 54 of the at least one grip enhancer 50.The plurality of locking ribs 74 further function to increase thestrength of the grip of the at least one grip enhancer 50 upon thestorage container sidewall 14.

[0050] The condiment container 20 preferably has a base 22 that isangled, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 15, to facilitate dipping the food intothe condiment 16. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the condimentcup 10 further includes at least one support leg 76 extending downwardlyfrom the base 22 of the condiment container 20. The at least one supportleg 76 is adapted to cooperate with the base 22 to support the condimentcontainer 20 in an upright orientation when the condiment container 20is placed upon a surface.

[0051] In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, the base 22 isplanar and adapted to support the condiment cup 10 on a surface such asa table, in addition to attaching the condiment cup 10 onto the storagecontainer sidewall 14.

[0052] While the invention has been described with reference to at leastone preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by thoseskilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather,the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction withthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A condiment cup for containing a condiment andfor attachment to a storage container sidewall of a storage container,the condiment cup comprising: a condiment container having a base and anupwardly extending sidewall that together define a storage space, theupwardly extending sidewall terminating in a perimeter lip that definesan opening for accessing the storage space; an attachment arm extendingdownwardly from the perimeter lip to a terminal end; and a sealing lidhaving a lid perimeter, the lid perimeter being adapted to be bonded tothe perimeter lip such that the sealing lid seals the opening of thecondiment container.
 2. The condiment cup of claim 1 further comprisingat least one grip enhancer extending outwardly from the upwardlyextending sidewall adjacent the attachment arm, the at least one gripenhancer providing an outwardly extending sidewall that is integral withthe upwardly extending sidewall and supports a grip surface, the gripsurface being an elongate surface that is vertically aligned with andhorizontally spaced from the attachment arm, a top edge of the gripsurface being located further from the base than the terminal end of theattachment arm such that the grip surface is adapted to cooperate withthe attachment arm to clamp the storage container sidewall and therebysupport the condiment cup on the storage container sidewall.
 3. Thecondiment cup of claim 2 wherein the at least one grip enhancer includestwo grip enhancers, one of the two grip enhancers being horizontallyspaced on either side of the attachment arm.
 4. The condiment cup ofclaim 1 further comprising a second attachment arm and a grip enhancer,the grip enhancer extending outwardly from the upwardly extendingsidewall to support a grip surface that is positioned between andvertically aligned with the attachment arm and the second attachmentarm, the grip surface being adapted to cooperate with the attachment armand the second attachment arm to clamp the storage container sidewalland thereby support the condiment cup on the storage container sidewall.5. The condiment cup of claim 1 wherein the attachment arm includes acurved spring portion extending to a terminal end that is outturned awayfrom the upwardly extending sidewall.
 6. The condiment cup of claim 1further comprising a divider sidewall that is integral with the base andthe upwardly extending sidewall and positioned to separate the storagespace into a first compartment and a second compartment, the firstcompartment containing the condiment, the second compartment containinga second condiment, and the divider sidewall having a divider lip thatis adapted to be bonded to the sealing lid.
 7. The condiment cup ofclaim 1 further comprising a locking button extending from an innersurface of the attachment arm.
 8. The condiment cup of claim 2 furthercomprising a plurality of locking ribs extending from the grip surfaceof the at least one grip enhancer.
 9. The condiment cup of claim 1further comprising at least one support leg extending downwardly fromthe base of the condiment container, the at least one support leg beingadapted to cooperate with the base to support the condiment container inan upright orientation when the condiment container is placed upon asurface.
 10. A condiment cup for attachment to a storage containersidewall of a storage container, the condiment cup comprising: acondiment container having a base and an upwardly extending sidewallthat together define a storage space, the upwardly extending sidewallterminating in a perimeter lip that defines an opening for accessing thestorage space; a condiment positioned within the storage space; anattachment arm extending downwardly from the perimeter lip; and asealing lid having a lid perimeter, the lid perimeter being bonded tothe perimeter lip such that the sealing lid covers the opening of thecondiment container, thereby sealing the condiment inside the storagespace.
 11. The condiment cup of claim 10 further comprising at least onegrip enhancer extending outwardly from the upwardly extending sidewalladjacent the attachment arm, the at least one grip enhancer providing anoutwardly extending sidewall that is integral with the upwardlyextending sidewall and supports a grip surface, the grip surface beingan elongate surface that is vertically aligned with and horizontallyspaced from the attachment arm, a top edge of the grip surface beinglocated further from the base than the terminal end of the attachmentarm such that the grip surface is adapted to cooperate with theattachment arm to clamp the storage container sidewall and therebysupport the condiment cup on the storage container sidewall.
 12. Thecondiment cup of claim 11 wherein the at least one grip enhancerincludes two grip enhancers that are vertically aligned with theattachment arm, one of the two grip enhancers being horizontally spacedon either side of the attachment arm.
 13. The condiment cup of claim 10further comprising a second attachment arm and a grip enhancer, the gripenhancer having an outwardly extending sidewall that is integral withextends outwardly from the upwardly extending sidewall to support a gripsurface that is vertically aligned with and positioned between theattachment arm and the second attachment arm, the grip surface beingadapted to cooperate with the attachment arm and the second attachmentarm to clamp the storage container sidewall and thereby support thecondiment cup on the storage container sidewall.
 14. The condiment cupof claim 10 wherein the attachment arm includes a curved spring portionextending to a terminal end that is outturned away from the upwardlyextending sidewall.
 15. The condiment cup of claim 10 further comprisinga divider sidewall that is integral with the base and the upwardlyextending sidewall and positioned to separate the storage space into afirst compartment and a second compartment, the first compartmentcontaining the condiment, the second compartment containing a secondcondiment, and the divider sidewall having a divider lip that is adaptedto be bonded to the sealing lid.
 16. The condiment cup of claim 10further comprising a locking button extending from an inner surface ofthe attachment arm.
 17. A condiment cup for containing a condiment andfor attachment to a storage container sidewall of a storage container,the condiment cup comprising: a condiment container having a base and anupwardly extending sidewall that together define a storage space, theupwardly extending sidewall terminating in a perimeter lip that definesan opening for accessing the storage space; a condiment positionedwithin the storage space; an attachment arm extending downwardly fromthe perimeter lip; a sealing lid having a lid perimeter, the lidperimeter being bonded to the perimeter lip such that the sealing lidseals the opening of the condiment container; and at least one gripenhancer extending outwardly from the upwardly extending sidewalladjacent the attachment arm, the at least one grip enhancer providing anoutwardly extending sidewall that supports a grip surface, the gripsurface being vertically aligned with and horizontally spaced from theattachment arm such that the grip surface is adapted to cooperate withthe attachment arm to clamp the storage container sidewall and therebysupport the condiment cup on the storage container sidewall.
 18. Thecondiment cup of claim 17 wherein the at least one grip enhancerincludes two grip enhancers, each of the two grip enhancers beinghorizontally spaced on either side of the attachment arm.
 19. Thecondiment cup of claim 17 further comprising a second attachment arm,the at least one grip enhancer being positioned between the attachmentarm and the second attachment arm such that the grip surface cooperateswith the attachment arm and the second attachment arm to clamp thestorage container sidewall therebetween and support the condiment cup onthe storage container sidewall.
 20. The condiment cup of claim 17wherein the attachment arm includes a curved spring portion extending toan outturned tip.